Hermann Londono of North Lauderdale, Florida Arrested for Sexual Battery on a Child

Hermann Londono of North Lauderdale, Florida was arrested Monday after he was accused of sexually abusing a 7-year-old girl at his home, news sources report. Londono, 57, was booked into the Broward County Main Jail on charges of sexual battery on a child under 12. A judge ordered that he be held without bail bond. It is not yet known whether Londono has hired a lawyer.

According to reports, the incident occurred at Londono’s residence in North Lauderdale. Reports did not mention whether the victim lives with Londono, was just visiting, or if the two are related. Sources indicate that the abuse occurred around 6 p.m. on February 21. While initial reports were vague, Londono allegedly digitally penetrated the victim’s vagina.

Detectives somehow learned of the alleged abuse via unspecified means. Reports say officers conducted a forensic interview with the child five days after the reported abuse. It is not clear whether the girl was injured in the alleged assault.

Unfortunately, child abuse allegations are commonplace in Florida. In one particularly unusual case, Jonathan Hampton, a Marion County high school teacher, was suspended from his job after for allegedly touching a female student’s face with a banana. Hampton has since been reinstated at the school.

According to reports, Hampton has worked for North Marion High School since 2007. In 2009, Hampton underwent counseling after he allegedly made distasteful comments about other teachers and students at NMHS. He went on to earn the Teacher of the Year award for the 2011-2012 academic year for his outstanding services at the school.

Reports say the incident occurred during class as Hampton was giving a lecture about “cylinder objects, phalluses and/or sex symbols.” At least one student said Hampton was demonstrating the phallus by using a banana and, at some point, “rubbed a student’s head and neck area with [the] banana,” reports say.

The school suspended Hampton without pay while they conducted an investigation into the alleged incident, but decided that Hampton was innocent and reinstated him soon after. “Upon a full investigation by the Marion County Public School District they found no evidence of sexual connotation or intentionality touching the student against her will or to physically hurt the student in any way,” Hampton’s attorney and stepfather said. “Jonathan was reinstated back in the classroom after serving his suspension.”
While some parents remain concerned, the school district has concluded that Hampton did not break any rules, as he his allowed to discuss sexual topics for educational purposes. However, some of Hampton’s students say the talks have been bordering on “excessive frequency, causing discomfort to many of [the] students,” reports indicate.

“That is disgusting, very disgusting,” a grandmother of a student at NMHS said. “I don’t think he should be allowed to teach kids. You don’t do stuff like that and get away with it.” Another parent shared the sentiment, saying, “They have to be professional about this. What was going through his mind when he did something like that?” Despite the complaints, it appears as though Hampton has not broken any laws. “According to my son… he doesn’t recall ever touching the student with a banana, but if he did it would be to get their attention,” Hampton’s stepfather/attorney said.